Eye of the Tiger
by ERROR57noname
Summary: The Elements of Power have collapsed as the Mane 6 have become teenagers. They have separated, never to speak again. Twilight is the only one who has remained in Ponyville, and is in a relationship with a distant relative of Zecora's (OC). But, when her friends return to her, how is she to choose between her friends and her coltfriend? Rated M for sexual references.
1. Chapter 1

"Well, that was fun…"

"Yeah, we've got to do that more often."

"Totally. I swear, you make the best paladin."

"Oh, please. I'd call myself adequate at best. You, on the other hand, are literally the most badass ranger I have ever seen."

I blushed. "You're simply too kind, Stripes."

I kissed the long-haired orange zebra on the cheek quickly.

"Well, I had best get some sleep…" I said, yawning loudly.

"Alrighty, then. I'll catch you later, Twilight."

He winked as he began his trek home. I thought for a few seconds before calling out to him. "Hey, wait!"

He turned with a quizzical expression. "Yes?"

I smiled at him. "Would you like to, um, stay at my place tonight?"

He grinned widely and trotted briskly back over to me. "Certainly, my dear."

He opened the door for me and held it as I walked inside. Once I was in, he closed it and walked over to my loft. Spike was gone on royal duties, so it was just the two of us. He pulled out a potion and poured it on the ground, the liquid quickly forming into a fancy four-poster bed. "That should take care of our sleeping accommodations."

I smiled, walking over to my gaming table and setting my stuff down.

Now, before I continue any further, I believe I have some explaining to do.

My name is Twilight Sparkle, pupil of Princess Celestia and the former element of Magic. It was fun, being an element; we were best friends, the 6 of us, never separated for long. However, as time went on, our elements faded. We grew distant, uninterested in our duties. Finally, on my 15th birthday, we all got into a nasty fight and vowed to never speak to each-other again.

However, after this happened, I became lonely. I needed to fill the gap in my heart that was once occupied by friendship. It was then, by the kind chance of fate, that I met Tiger Stripes. Since Zecora had died, nopony really went to her old hut. However, as I was wandering the forest one day, I noticed the lights were on.

I knocked, confused as to the nature of this event. He opened the door, shaggy and somewhat filthy after cooking a potion. He was a zebra, a distant cousin of Zecora's.

A week later, we were best friends. He introduced my to Umbrals & Ursas, or U&U, a roleplaying game in which you pretend to be somepony else. It was a lot of fun.

As I hung out with him more and more, I developed feelings for him as he did for me. This continued until one day, the 17th of November, at lunchtime between U&U sessions, while we were eating cruddy pizza. he leaned over and kissed me.

It felt really weird that time. I had never really been kissed by anypony besides my parents, except that one time when Discord turned all of us except Rarity into frogs. This kiss was greasy, smelled strongly of cheap mozzarella, and a bit awkward; I loved it, all of those two unpleasant pizza-smelling seconds when our lips touched each-other's

And that was how I became addicted to the idea of having a coltfriend. Well, maybe 'addicted' is a strong word. Simply put, it filled that gap in my life, and I stopped feeling so depressed about being lonely and such.

Now, five months later, Stripes and I are still dating, and we're having a blast.

Now, back to the present, This was the first time Stripes had spent the night at my place. I started remembering the rules about colts my mom told me when I was little;

1: Do not be in the same room as a colt while the door is closed

2: Do not sleep in the same bed as a colt

3: Do not, under any circumstance, spend the night with a colt.

Well, all of those rules were being broken. I remembered my mom had a good reason to put those rules in place, but I honestly didn't care at that point. I was an independant mare, and I was allowed to do as I pleased with my life.

So, I got in bed and turned off the lights after he got in.

I woke up the next morning. My whole body was incredibly sore, and I honestly did not want to get up or open my eyes. That is, until I noticed something pressing against me.

I opened my eyes.

There was Stripes, literally directly next to me. We were facing each-other, in a tight embrace as we slept. I finally remembered last night.

We were making out in the bed, a lot more than usual, and then he… Well, I'll put it bluntly; he had sex with me. However, what startled me the most was that I didn't complain. I literally just kept kissing him as he did me. I could've told him to stop, I should've pulled away - but I didn't do jack shit. I wasn't drunk, my vision wasn't clouded, there was nothing wrong with me physically. But I let him do it.

But, there was one part, the part that terrified me, the one bit of information that made me want to run away and hide; I enjoyed it. I wasn't ready. I was never ready. I shouldn't have been ready. I was fifteen years old! You're not supposed to have sex when you're fifteen! You're not even supposed to have sex until you're married!

But, as I laid there, horrified, a small, miniscule voice took up the microphone and spoke to me. Maybe I was ready. Maybe those societal pressures are just that, maybe I shouldn't need to abide by them. Needless to say, I was very conflicted as to which side to take on the matter.

So, I simply laid there. Facing him, the one I loved. He snored softly, oblivious to the thoughts racing through my head.

The next month passed by like a blur. Stripes moved in with me after his house burned down, and we played more and more U&U. He started making more cool potions, I started writing novels, and Spike had to permanently move to Canterlot. I resigned as Celestia's pupil, and thus got to spend more time with Stripes.

Since that fateful night, our relationship had grown stronger by the day. He had sex with me a few more times, and I never objected. It wasn't like he did it a lot, but it was a fun treat for us, like going to a fancy restaurant. Times were good.

I managed to publish my first book a few months later, entitled 'Roll the Dice', a short beginners' guide to U&U. It wasn't a huge success or anything, but, combined with Stripes' potion sales, I was able to quit my day job.

I was having the time of my life. But, on a cold, rainy day, I heard a knock. I opened the door and screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

"What the hell are you all doing here?!"

Applejack spoke up. "Why do you think? We're here to be with you."

I blushed. "Sorry, girls. I'm not homosexual."

"No, not like that!" Rarity stated with assurity, "We're here to support you, like the old days."

They all smiled caringly. I decided to hear their story.

Applejack had apparently gathered the gang together to visit me for a few months. Rarity apparently found a job in Canterlot as a seamstress, and Pinkie planned the Grand Galloping Gala every owned a zoo in Manehattan, and it was very successful. Rainbow was the leader of the Wonderbolts. Applejack had moved to a group home after her farm died several years back. And, now, they were all here.

"Well… Alrighty, then. Just a moment…" I went inside and brought Stripes to the door.

"Everypony, I'd like you all to meet Tiger Stripes, my coltfriend."

They all kinda' looked at my funny for a while, very confused. Finally, Rainbow spoke.

"Y-you have a… Coltfriend?"

"Um, yeah. Do you have a problem with him?"

"No, it's just… We thought you weren't interested."

Stripes and I exchanged a look for a second before bursting into laughter. My friends just looked at us, stunned. They flinched when I kissed him quickly after we got up.

"Please, come in."

They nodded hazily and walked in on the disgusting mess all over the floor. Potion residue, papers, tape, broken glass, and food was all over the place. I nimbly stepped around and over all the hazards, getting to the potion shelf and pouring some instant bed elixer.

"Here's where you're sleeping." she motioned to the five sleeping bags. "Food is in the fridge. Please be careful with the plates."

Finally, like a tide, they all snapped out of it, yelling in unison.

"YOU HAVE A COLTFRIEND?!"

I jumped at their outburst. "Um, yeah. Is there something wrong?"

Applejack ran over. "We hoped that you would need our support. That's why I gathered everypony to bring them here."

I looked at her quizzically. I started to speak, but Stripes interrupted me.

"Look; I have no clue who the hell you ponies are, but I know for a fact that you walked into OUR home, used OUR stuff, questioned OUR relationship, and now you want to just walk away like NOTHING HAPPENED?!" He was seething with anger. "Let me tell you something, jerkface; you break it, you buy it. You can either leave forever, or you can stay here. Your choice."

I shushed Stripes. "Hush, love. They're not worth it. They're scum who don't believe in our love. Let's just let them be so long as they don't do something bad, okay?"

He sighed. "Yes, dear."

I turned back to the other ponies. Pinkie's mane was drooping, Applejack was shocked, Fluttershy was crying, Rarity was glaring at me, and Rainbow was drinking some (probably hard) cider from a flask.

I sighed, annoyed. "Get some rest, it's dark out."

They all got into their sleeping bags and started sleeping. I got in the four-poster that Stripes made so long ago. After a few minutes, we started making out and stuff. You know, the works. We started having sex; nothing major or anything, but we were having a great time.

Then the lights turned on.

I looked up, and saw Rarity standing by the lightswitch 10 feet from our bed. Her expression was some unholy fusion of hatred, disgust, disdain, and shock. She walked over and slapped me. Hard.

"You little fucking bitch. You think it's okay to do that? You're underage! This is illegal! You're lucky I'm not calling the guards."

Tiger Stripes glared daggers at her. "Get back to your sleeping bag. You want to call the guards? Fine. They won't care, you know. You've got no proof. Now, shove off."

He turned the lights off. We heard Rarity stomp down the stairs and go to sleep begrudgingly. This meant war.


	3. Chapter 3

I awoke, Stripes at my side. The others were all still sleeping, only we were awake. He kissed my forehead. "Good morning, my sweet."

"And to you." I hugged him tighter before getting out of bed and walking downstairs.

The morning light shone brightly through the window as I entered the room. My friends were groggily waking up, seemingly reset from last night - except Rarity. Her gaze displayed a silent, passive hatred for me. I decided to keep my distance.

I made a loud noise with my magic. "Good morning, other ponies! Grab some breakfast and do whatever!" I casually trotted over to my typewriter and began writing more of my next book.

Pinkie dashed over. "Whatcha doin'?"

"I'm writing a romance novel about a Saddle Arabian refugee who falls in love with a Canterlot noblemare. Stripes really likes these. I'm at a really good part, you want to read it?"

"Totally!" Pinkie leans in to read, a huge grin on her face. Slowly, as she read, her grin turned to a smile, then a frown, and then disgust.

"Ugh! Why do you write about weird stuff like that? It doesn't need to be that detailed… I mean, geez, you even go into detail able the way the blanket moves around them."

I blush very slightly. "Well, this is the kind of thing that Stripes likes to read. I also find it a bit creepy, but I don't judge."

Pinkie glared at Stripes as he comes down the stairs. "Well, I do!" She stomped off to the table and began to eat some cheap oatmeal.

Stripes walked over to me and kissed me for a few seconds. "Are they bothering you again, my love?"

"Oh, don't worry. I can deal with them, it'll be fine." I kissed him back.

Nothing eventful happened that day. Rainbow had to go to holding because she drank too much hard cider in went to check out her old adoption center, which turned out to have been turned into a lumber mill. Pinkie went to visit Mrs. Cake, who was in the hospital due to major arthritis. Applejack was reading at home. Finally, Rarity was just drawing dress plans all day.

I, personally, went on an outing with Stripes. We had saved up enough money to go to a beach cabin, and it was a bright, sunny July day. I sat with Stripes on a swinging bench on the shaded porch, the breeze almost still as the waves lapped against the shore. His arm was around my shoulders, as mine was around his. I nuzzled him and spoke after a long silence.

"I need some advice."

He turned, smiling sweetly. "Anything for you."

I blushed. "Well, it's about… My friends, the ones who are visiting. I… I guess I feel guilty for treating them that way. They have a right to be my friends, just as you have a right to my heart."

He looked at me for a while, deep in thought. "Normally, I would agree. However, these ponies aren't your friends anymore. They're not the same mares that you knew so long ago. If they deny you your heart, then they deny themselves your friendship."

I knew he was right. Applejack wasn't the pony I once knew, nor were any of the others. The worst part was that I couldn't choose both. I could either follow through on my love of Stripes, or I could reunite with the friends that, deep down, I missed very much. I had to shun one or the other, and drive one of them off. I had to choose between my heart and my soul.

And I simply could not choose.


End file.
